Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) facts for kids
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Lincoln University of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
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Former names
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Ashmun Institute (1854-1866) |
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| Motto | "If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." |
| Type | Public state-related historically black university |
| Established | April 29, 1854 |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $35.5 million |
| President | Brenda A. Allen |
| Provost | Patricia A. Joseph |
| Students | 2,241 (2019) |
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United States
39°48′30″N 75°55′40″W / 39.80833°N 75.92778°W |
| Campus | Large Suburb, 422 acres (1.7 km2) |
| Newspaper | The Lincolnian |
| Other campuses | Philadelphia |
| Colors | Orange Blue |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Lions |
| Website | www.lincoln.edu |
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Pennsylvania Historical Marker
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| Designated: | January 25, 1967 |
Lincoln University (LU) is a public university located near Oxford, Pennsylvania. It's known as a historically black university (HBCU). This means it was founded to provide higher education for African Americans.
Lincoln University started as a private school called Ashmun Institute in 1854. It became a public university in 1972. It was the very first HBCU in the United States that could grant college degrees!
The main campus covers 422 acres in Chester County, Pennsylvania. There's also another campus in University City, Philadelphia. About 2,000 students attend Lincoln University for their college studies.
Even though many students are African American, the university has always welcomed students from all backgrounds. Women have been able to earn degrees here since 1953. In 2019, about 66% of the undergraduate students were women.
Contents
History of Lincoln University
How Lincoln University Began
In 1854, a minister named John Miller Dickey and his wife, Sarah Emlen Cresson, started the Ashmun Institute. They named it after Jehudi Ashmun, a religious leader. They created this school because African Americans had very few chances to go to college back then.
John Miller Dickey was the first president of the college. He encouraged some of his early students to help set up Liberia. This was a country in Africa for African Americans. Many of these students became ministers.
Renaming and Growth
In 1866, the school was renamed Lincoln University. This happened a year after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. The college became very popular and attracted talented students from many states. This was especially true during the time when laws kept races separate in the Southern United States. Many graduates became successful in different fields, like teaching, public service, and the arts.
In 1921, President Warren G. Harding visited Lincoln University. He gave a speech at graduation. He talked about bringing people together after a difficult time in the country. He also honored Lincoln alumni who fought in World War I. The school newspaper called his visit a very important moment for the university.
New Leadership and Changes
In 1945, Dr. Horace Mann Bond, who was a graduate of Lincoln, became the first African-American president of the university. He led the university for 12 years. During his time, he supported the important civil rights case of Brown v. Board of Education. This case led to the end of segregation in public schools.
From 1854 to 1954, many African American doctors and lawyers in the U.S. were graduates of Lincoln University.
In 1953, the university changed its rules to allow women to earn degrees. This was a big step forward!
In 1972, Lincoln University officially joined the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This made it a state-related public institution.
In 2017, Dr. Brenda A. Allen became the new president of Lincoln University. She is a graduate of Lincoln herself, from the class of 1981.
In 2020, MacKenzie Scott gave $20 million to Lincoln University. This was the largest single gift the university had ever received!
Academics at Lincoln University
What Students Can Study
Lincoln University offers many different subjects for students to study. There are 38 main subjects (majors) and 23 smaller subjects (minors).
The university has a special program called the Lincoln-Barnes Visual Arts program. It works with the Barnes Foundation to offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. This program helps students learn about art. They also recently added a Pan-Africana Studies major.
International Programs
Lincoln University has a great International and Study Abroad Program. Students have traveled to many countries for service learning projects. They have visited places like Ecuador, Argentina, Spain, Ireland, Costa Rica, Japan, France, Cambodia, Zambia, Liberia, Ghana, Kenya, Russia, Australia, Thailand, the Czech Republic, Mexico, and South Africa. This allows students to learn and help others around the world.
Lincoln University Campus
Dear Lincoln, Dear Lincoln,
To thee we'll e'er be true.
The golden hours we spent beneath
The dear old Orange and Blue,
Will live for e'er in memory,
As guiding stars through life;
For thee, our Alma Mater dear,
We will rise in our might.
For thee, our Alma Mater dear,
We will rise in our might.
For we love ev'ry inch of thy sacred soil,
Ev'ry tree on thy campus green;
And for thee with our might
We will ever toil
That thou mightiest be supreme.
We'll raise thy standard to the sky,
Midst glory and honor to fly.
And constant and true
We will live for thee anew,
Our dear old Orange and Blue.
Hail! Hail! Lincoln.
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The main campus of Lincoln University is 422 acres big. It has 56 buildings. There are 15 dorms where over 1,600 students can live. Some dorms are very old, like Alumni Hall (built in 1870). Others are new, like the apartment-style suites built in 2005.
Campus Buildings and Facilities
- Ivory Nelson Science Center: This large, four-story building was finished in 2008. It has classrooms and high-tech labs for science studies.
- International Cultural Center: This center was completed in 2010. It helps students learn about different cultures from around the world.
- Health and Wellness Center: Opened in 2012, this big facility has basketball courts, a track, a rock climbing wall, and a health clinic. It's a great place for students to stay active and healthy.
- Athletic Facilities: The campus has a football stadium that opened in 2012. There are also practice fields, tennis courts, baseball fields, and softball fields.
- Alumni Memorial Arch: This is a famous landmark at the entrance of the university. President Warren G. Harding dedicated it in 1921. It honors Lincoln students who served in World War I.
- Mary Dod Brown Memorial Chapel: This beautiful old building, built in 1890, is where religious activities happen on campus.
- Langston Hughes Memorial Library: This library is named after the famous poet and Lincoln alumnus, Langston Hughes. It has many books, journals, and computer labs for students to use. It was renovated in 2008 and 2011.
- Student Union Building (SUB): This building is a hub for student life. It has the bookstore, a café, TV and radio studios, and postal services.
- Thurgood Marshall Living Learning Center: Named after Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, this center is another important place for student activities and meetings.
- Manuel Rivero Hall: This is the main athletic and recreation center. It has a large gymnasium, a swimming pool, a wrestling room, and a bowling alley.
Lincoln University is also a census-designated place (CDP). In 2010, about 1,726 people lived there. It even has its own post office with a ZIP code of 19352.
Other Campuses
Lincoln University also has a campus in University City, Philadelphia. This location offers certain college and graduate programs for adult students.
Student Life and Activities
Lincoln University has many ways for students to get involved!
Honor Societies
These groups recognize students who do very well in their studies:
- Alpha Chi – National Honor Scholarship Society
- Alpha Kappa Delta National Sociology Honor Society
- Alpha Mu Gamma National Foreign Language Honor Society
- Beta Beta Beta National Biological Science Honor Society
- Beta Kappa Chi Honorary Scientific Society
- Chi Alpha Epsilon National Honor Society
- Dobro Slovo – The National Slavic Honor Society
- Iota Eta Tau Honor Society
- Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honorary Society in Economics
- Phi Iota Sigma Foreign Language Honor Society
- Phi Kappa Epsilon Honor Society
- Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society
- Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society
- Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society
- Sigma Beta Delta Business Honors Society
- Kappa Delta Pi – Tau Zeta Chapter International Honor Society in Education
Student Organizations
There are over 60 student groups for different interests! These include clubs for fashion, arts, social justice, religious groups, international cultures, and media.
Student Media
- Newspaper – The Lincolnian
- Yearbook – The Lion
- Campus radio station – WWLU
- Campus television station – LUC-TV
Greek Life and Social Groups
Lincoln University has chapters of many national Greek organizations:
- National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations:
- Alpha Phi Alpha – Nu Chapter, 1912
- Omega Psi Phi – Beta Chapter, 1914
- Kappa Alpha Psi – Epsilon Chapter, 1915
- Phi Beta Sigma – Mu Chapter, 1922
- Alpha Kappa Alpha – Epsilon Nu Chapter, 1969
- Delta Sigma Theta – Zeta Omega Chapter, 1969
- Zeta Phi Beta – Delta Delta Chapter, 1970
- Sigma Gamma Rho – Xi Theta Chapter, 1995
- Iota Phi Theta – Epsilon Epsilon Chapter, 2000
- Social fellowships and service organizations:
- Groove Phi Groove – Mighty Lion Chapter
- Swing Phi Swing - Gendaga Bimbisha Tabu Chapter, 1996
- Music and band organizations:
- Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band fraternity - Mu Sigma Chapter, 2010
- Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band sorority- Iota Pi Chapter, 2010
- Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity - Mu Sigma Chapter, 2016
Royal Court
Students can also be part of the Royal Court, which includes:
- Mister Lincoln University
- Miss Lincoln University
- Mister Legacy
- Miss Legacy
- Mister Orange and Blue
- Miss Orange and Blue
Athletics at Lincoln University
Lincoln University's sports teams are called the Lincoln Lions. They compete in the NCAA Division II. This means they play against other colleges in their division.
The Lions are part of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
Lincoln Lions compete in many sports, including:
- Baseball
- Soccer (women)
- Basketball (men & women)
- Volleyball (women)
- Indoor Track (men & women)
- Outdoor Track (men & women)
- Cross-Country (men & women)
- Softball
- Football
Lincoln University and The Barnes Foundation
Lincoln University has a special connection with The Barnes Foundation. This foundation holds a huge art collection.
The Barnes Collection
Albert C. Barnes was a very rich art collector. He wanted his art collection to be used for teaching, especially for students and working-class people. He made sure that Lincoln University had a role in managing his art collection.
Barnes was interested in helping young people and groups who didn't always have many chances. His art collection is now worth billions of dollars.
Changes to the Foundation
Over time, there were some challenges with the Barnes Foundation. The location of the collection made it hard for many people to visit. Also, the rules Barnes set up made it difficult for the foundation to make enough money to keep the art safe.
In 2005, an agreement was made to move the art collection to a more public place. This also changed how the Barnes Foundation was managed. Lincoln University's influence over the collection became less, but the university still has a connection to this important art world.
A movie called The Art of the Steal tells the story of these events.
Famous People from Lincoln University
Lincoln University has many famous graduates! Here are a few:
- Thurgood Marshall: He was the first African American to become a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Langston Hughes: A very famous poet from the Harlem Renaissance.
- Nnamdi Azikiwe: The first president of Nigeria.
- Kwame Nkrumah: The first president of Ghana.
- Gil Scott-Heron: A well-known song artist and activist.
- Roscoe Lee Browne: An actor who won an Emmy Award.
- Melvin B. Tolson: A teacher and coach whose debate team was shown in the movie The Great Debaters.
- Luis Ernesto Ramos Yordán: A member of the House of Representatives for Puerto Rico.
Some children of Lincoln University alumni also became famous, like:
- Cab Calloway: A legendary musician.
- Julian Bond: A civil rights activist.
- Paul Robeson: A famous singer, actor, and activist.
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner: An actor.
- Wendy Williams: An actress.
Lincoln University alumni also helped start six other colleges and universities!
Two Lincoln University alumni have even been honored with special stamps by the United States Postal Service: Thurgood Marshall and Langston Hughes.
Notable Staff at Lincoln University
Many important people have also worked at Lincoln University:
- James Farmer: A civil rights activist.
- Fritz Pollard: The first African-American NFL coach.
- Doug Overton: A former NBA basketball player who coached the men's basketball team.
Images for kids
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The Student Union Building (SUB)
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Civil rights activist James Farmer
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Fritz Pollard, posing with a football
See also
In Spanish: Universidad Lincoln para niños
